Teicher: Chiefs rookie running back Knile Davis works on limiting fumbles

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs rookie running back Knile Davis works on limiting fumbles
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The one constant at the Chiefs rookie camp that ended Sunday was the sight of running back Knile Davis carrying the ball high and close to his body.

He was a frequent fumbler in college at Arkansas and might have been drafted higher than the end of the third round, where he was selected by the Chiefs, had he not put the ball on the ground so often.

That’s where the emphasis was, and will continue to be, for Davis and the Chiefs.

“To me, it’s mental, just being aware, keeping it high and tight,’’ Davis said. “(Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy) had us running with the heavy ball and putting the emphasis on keeping it high and tight so when we got the light balls out it was just second nature.

“I feel like it’s something that can definitely be fixed. I’m working hard on that and I will fix it. I feel like it’s something that’s already behind me. It happened last year. I’m ready to prove I can hold on to that ball.’’

The Chiefs are ready to see it, too.

“I felt like with him, he just needs to play in order to work his way through that,’’ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I thought he needed to work his way through that and then you’d have a pretty good football player. I can’t tell you I’m big on fumbling. I don’t like it. I don’t have a lot of patience for it. I feel like with this kid, we’ll have an answer there for that.’’

Davis worked to correct his fumbling habit at Arkansas, too, without much success. He also missed the entire 2011 season with an ankle injury and then had hamstring problems last year.

But Davis had one great season for the Razorbacks, in 2010, when he rushed for 13 touchdowns and 1,322 yards. That, and not fumbles or injuries, is what the Chiefs see when they look at Davis.

“Knile Davis was tremendous for us,’’ said linebacker Tenarius Wright, an Arkansas teammate who participated in the rookie camp on a trial basis. “Knile Davis was one of the hardest working guys I’ve been around. He (would have) had an awesome career (if not for injuries). He was a Heisman (Trophy) candidate so you never know. He might have been walking across the stage with that trophy.’’

That, of course, overlooks his many fumbles last season. Wright said he thought they were a factor of Davis missing the entire 2011 season.

“Coming off the injury, you’ve got to shake the rust off,’’ he said. “He’s learned from that and I believe he’s taken it to heart and it won’t happen again.’’

Davis said it was a lot of things. “I was a little rusty,” he said. “I had been out for (one season). I’ve moved on from that and become better.’’

The Chiefs went into the draft looking for a bigger back who could serve as a complement to the speed and big-play ability of Jamaal Charles. They thought they had that back last year in Peyton Hillis, but that didn’t work out as planned.

Davis, at 227 pounds, is that bigger back but one who can also run fast.

“If you can find a big fast guy that can play, you’re sure trying to find that and we think we got that (in Davis),’’ Reid said. “He can play both games for you. He can give you the power game of a big back. He can also give you the finesse game with his quickness and speed and I think that’s welcome.’’

[In58men]

@KCChiefs_Reid: The @KCChiefs sign rookie RB Knile Davis, more details coming. #ChiefsKingdom #Chiefs

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by jd1020

What are they going to do about his glass bones?

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[BlackHelicopters]

Good news. all senior citizens need Life Alert.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

@KCChiefs_Reid: The @KCChiefs sign rookie RB Knile Davis, more details coming. #ChiefsKingdom #Chiefs

Oh man if that is not a sign...